There are a number of different methods for cooking roast chicken. Cooking with a conventional gas or electric oven is the usual method but during the summer months it can make an interesting change to cook your roast chicken on the barbeque. These two different methods for roast chicken cooking are by far the most popular.

Using a traditional oven for your roast chicken cooking is the most popular method. Soften some butter and then rub it all over the chicken, this will keep the flesh moist and impart a better flavour. Once you have done this slice a lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the top of the chicken and put the halves inside the cavity. Lemon works very well with chicken and will provide additional flavour. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, parsley and thyme over the top of the chicken. Quarter an onion and roughly slice a couple of carrots and place them in the roasting tin with a glass of white wine and put the chicken on top of the vegetables. The juices that run out of the chicken during cooking and the vegetables and herbs you have also used will give you a tasty gravy.

When the chicken is cooked and removed from the roasting tin place it somewhere to rest while you make the gravy. Put the roasting tin on top of the oven and switch on some heat underneath it. Whisk in a tablespoon of flour as a thickener and let it bubble for a few minutes to cook off the flour. If there is not enough liquid in the tin you can add some chicken stock and reduce it down a bit until it is thicker. Using this method for roast chicken cooking gives a more tasty meat than if it is cooked without any of these additional ingredients.

During the summer months when it is warm outside and you want something a bit different cooked on your barbeque, rather than the usual burgers and sausages, a whole roast chicken makes for a refreshing change and a more hearty meal. Roast chicken cooking on a barbeque is often shied away from as people fear that the chicken will not be cooked all the way through. The biggest problem faced is, because of the intense heat of a barbeque, the outside of the chicken can burn quickly and the inside will be raw. There are, however, methods you can use to ensure that the chicken is cooked correctly. Most barbeques have racks that can be raised or lowered to give different heights over the coals. Wrap the chicken in foil and put it on the highest rack you can, then every half an hour lower it so it is nearer to the coals, this will ensure even cooking. About thirty to forty-five minutes before the end of the cooking time remove the foil to crisp up the skin. You can use all of the oven preparation techniques as described above for barbeque cooking. As barbeque cooking can differ each time you may need to return the chicken to the barbeque if it is not fully done at the end of the cooking time. Roast chicken cooking methods can vary but again, for safety, check that the juices run clear when the thickest part of the meat is skewered.